Lawmakers offer prayers for Dolphy; National Artist award pushed

Dolphy. INQUIRER PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Lawmakers on Wednesday offered prayers and issued their respective statements as tribute to the late icon of Philippine entertainment, 83-year-old Rodolfo Vera Quizon, Dolphy.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. told reporters they were offering prayers for Dolphy, who passed away Tuesday night.

“I join his millions of fans in mourning his passing. In his genre he was tops. I had always enjoyed his shows myself and I’m really sorry he is gone,” said Belmonte.

He was joined in by Aurora Representative Juan Edgardo Angara, San Juan Representative Joseph Victor Ejercito, Bayan Muna Representatives Neri Colmenares and Teddy Casino, Paranaque Representative Roilo Gomez, and Western Samar Representative Mel Senen Sarmiento in offering prayers, saying that Dolphy may have passed away but his contributions to the television and film industry will live on.

Dolphy passed away amid discussions on the contentious issue of whether he could be given the National Artist Award for Cinema. Despite his demise, Sorsogon Representative Salvador Escudero III said that lawmakers will tackle a resolution on the issue once they resume work in July.

“Sana lang mas naging sensitive ang body at ibinigay ang national artist award habang buhay pa si Dolphy,” Ejercito said.

Valenzuela Representative Magtanggol Gunigundo also believes that Dolphy should still be awarded the national artist title posthumously.

But even without the said award granted to the nation’s top funny man, AKO Bicol Representative Rodel Batocabe said that Dolphy was “walang kaduda-dudang matatawag na people’s artist sa puso ng bawat Pilipino.”